Lots of talk about Wang needing a beating and now we have a BJ reference. Yikes. Separation anxiety?

As for Wells, a cortisone shot on Wednesday. Hard to say you heal that quickly. formula for today. Get him through five. Keep scoring runs. Gonzalez/Dinardo for at few innings. sox win something like 11-8.

Speaking of Cashman, what do you think of the job he's done this year? After an embarrassingly bad offseason, in which you or I could've done better, he's made some pretty inspired moves during the season. Without Chacon and Small, Yanks are nowhere.

I'm sure Torre will be going to Gordon and then MO. Maybe Hillenbrand can do his "fag" friend Theo a favor and take on deep.

I really think the biggest thing Cashman did was bring up Cano and bench Womack. Small and Chacon were absolutely luck. Actually the more I think it was good that he did not sit still (he really had no choice). He brought in a lot of pitchers (Leiter, Redding, Henn, May) and it just so happened that Small and Chacon caught lightening in a bottle.

Agreed about signing every castoff he could find (don't forget Nomo and Embree), but the fact is: it worked, and cost almost nothing. Sox would've seriously benefited from the exact same moves (and would be leading the East by 7 games now).

Absolutely it worked, but their rotation was desparate. Our bullpen was the real culprit. The starters, for the most part were all able to take their turns - we had 6 starters going into the season for a reason. I don't think picking up a starter was our real issue.

The pen was our problem and we took a few chances - Remlinger, the Chads - but it would have been nice to make a deal for someone that really would have panned out. Papelbon is turning out nicely - you can go back on these very boards and see that I was lobbying for the Sox to bring up a few of the kids to see what we have.

IBiD -- it's "closer by committee". The words "bullpen by committee" make me all angry.

Anyway, an extra starter still would've been nice, given Wake's massive struggles when Mirabelli was hurt, and Wells's various issues. As for bullpen help, Small's been phenomenal in long relief; Oogie was traded mid-season also. Just frustrating how few holes were fixed all season. (Then again, the farm's intact, which is nice.)

It’s 11:00 in the morning and your energy is waning. Minutes seem to tick by like hours and your mind feels foggy. You’ve still got six more hours to look alert and act productive and get over stress and anxiety, so how do you cope with the afternoon blahs? Follow these six tips!

1. If you have a job that involves sitting at a desk all day or staring at a computer screen, take five minutes to stand up or lean back, close your eyes and stretch, especially in your shoulder and leg areas. Being seated all the time can make your whole body feel stiff and sleepy. A good stretch session helps limber up your body and gets the blood flowing again.

2. Avoid the tempting lure of caffeine or sugar-laden foods such as coffee, tea or chocolate. Caffeine may perk up your energy levels temporarily, but it also has a bad habit of leaving you sluggish after the effect has worn off. Instead, choose whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables to give your body the fuel it really wants! Eating healthier will boost your mood, elevate your alertness, change stress and anxiety and make you feel better all day long.

3. Along with healthier foods, take a quick 10-15 minute walk during your lunch break. Just a few minutes will give you a burst of energy that refreshes you and makes you feel more alert – while burning off your lunch calories in the process!

4. Sometimes, afternoon slumps can be your body’s way of telling you that it needs something. You may be feeling tired if your blood sugar is low (which happens especially after the effect of those caffeine and high sugar foods has worn off!). Packing a low calorie snack like graham crackers, granola, fruit or vegetable slices can give your body a boost and keep you from feeling hungry in the late afternoon and caving in to the urge to devour the entire contents of the vending machine after work!

5. Drowsiness is often a sign that you’re not getting enough water. Drinking more water throughout the day not only helps keep you awake, but also keeps you from feeling those hunger pangs that inevitably creep up in mid-morning. Taking a large sports bottle that you can drink from throughout the day is a great way to get your recommended eight glasses a day as well!

6. If afternoon fatigue is a recurring problem, it may be a side effect of medications you are taking. Allergy pills are well known culprits, as are some blood pressure and anxiety/depression medicines. Don’t try to circumvent these effects with caffeine, otherwise you’ll overload your body with stimulants while it’s already trying to deal with drowsiness, and you’ll feel mentally and physically exhausted. Instead, try a short 15-20 minute catnap. You’ll be surprised how refresh you’ll feel when you wake up! (Don’t try this at work though – I know it’s tempting!)

If you follow these tips on a regular basis, you’ll not only make it through the afternoon blahs, but you’ll also feel better physically and mentally, sleep better at night, and wake up rejuvenated and re-energized the next morning. Make it a GREAT day! stress and anxiety